Cooling unit cover

ABSTRACT

The invention discloses an aesthetically pleasing, low cost cover for covering and a method for covering a cooler/air conditioning unit for preventing heat loss and blocking cold air from entering a home. The cover comprises an impermeable sheet capable of covering a cooler/air conditioning unit. The impermeable sheet has a first surface, a second surface and an edge extending about the perimeter of the sheet. The first surface of the sheet is capable of being positioned adjacent to a front surface of the cooler/air conditioning unit. A decorative surface is either printed on the second surface of the impermeable sheet or is a separate decorative sheet, which is secured to the second surface of the impermeable sheet. A securing system is provided for securing the edge of the impermeable sheet about the unit to prevent the escape of hot air and the entrance of cold air through the unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a cooling unit cover, and,more particularly, for an aesthetically pleasing cover for a coolingunit for preventing the flow of cold air through the unit during thewinter months.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A home cooling unit such as an air conditioner or water cooling unit canprovide a home with welcome relief from the heat during the summermonths. These units are typically mounted in a window or the wall of thehouse. Unfortunately, during the winter months, cold air can flow intothe house through vents in the cooling unit, significantly increasingthe homeowner's heating bill. In order to eliminate this increase in theheating bill, the homeowner often removes the unit from the window orwall and stores it during the winter months. This removal can bedifficult, because the units are often heavy and bulky. Also, one maynot have sufficient storage space for storing the unit. In order toeliminate the need for removing the unit, homeowners will sometimescover the unit openings with plastic or cardboard. This can be unsightlyand a good seal is often difficult to accomplish, allowing the cold airto still seep into the house.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,981 to Nieves and U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,827 to VanValkenburg show box shaped front covers for air conditioning units.These devices have a predetermined size and thus cannot be used on alltypes and/or sizes of cooling units. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,556 to Slegerand U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,880 to Lou show back covering devices that maybe used to cover the back surface of the air conditioning unit andprevent the flow of cold air into the home. These devices can bedifficult to install and can be subjected to severe weather, causingthem to become torn and broken away from the back of the airconditioning unit.

There is a need in the art for an aesthetically pleasing cover that maybe easily installed over a cooling unit. There is also a need in the artfor a low-cost cover that can fit cooling units of varying sizes andshapes.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cover and amethod of covering a front surface of a cooler/air conditioning unit toprevent the escape of warm air from a home to the outside.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cover and a method ofcovering a front surface of a cooler/air conditioning unit to preventthe entrance of cold air from the outside entering into a heated house.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cover and amethod of covering a cooler/air conditioning unit which is easy toinstall and provides an aesthetically pleasing cover that can revolvearound any theme and can be designed to match any decor.

It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a cover and amethod of covering a cooler/air conditioning unit that is inexpensiveand can be designed to fit a variety of sized and shaped units.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the invention whichhave been described in some specific detail above it should be notedthat various other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in therelevant art from the following more detailed description, particularly,when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawingFigures and with the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, and in accordance with the forgoing objectives, the inventioncomprises a cover for covering and a method for covering a cooler/airconditioning unit for preventing heat loss and blocking cold air fromentering a home. The cover comprises an impermeable sheet having apredetermined size and shape capable of covering a cooler/airconditioning unit. The impermeable sheet has a first surface, a secondsurface, and an edge extending about the perimeter of the sheet. Thefirst surface of the sheet is capable of being positioned adjacent to afront surface of the cooler/air conditioning unit. A decorative surfaceis either printed on the second surface of the impermeable sheet or is aseparate decorative sheet, which is secured to the second surface of theimpermeable sheet. Means are provided for securing the edge of theimpermeable sheet about the cooler/air conditioning unit to prevent theescape of hot air and the entrance of cold air through the unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of an uncovered cooler/air conditioning unit,which may be covered with the cover of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the cover of the invention positioned over the front faceof a cooler/air conditioning unit including a securing means forsecuring the cover over the cooler/air conditioning unit.

FIG. 3 shows a cover of the invention including an alternative securingmeans for securing the cover over the cooler/air conditioning unit.

FIG. 4 shows a cover of the invention including yet another alternativesecuring means for securing the cover over the cooler/air conditioningunit.

FIG. 5 shows the covered unit located within a room and decorated tomatch the decor of the room.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Prior to proceeding to a more detailed description of the invention, itshould be noted that identical components having identical functionshave been designated with identical reference numerals for the sake ofclarity.

Referring now to the Figures, there is shown a cover, generallyillustrated as 10, for covering a cooler/air conditioning unit 12, asshown in FIG. 1, for preventing heat loss and blocking cold air fromentering a home. The cover comprises an impermeable sheet 14 having apredetermined size and shape capable of covering such cooler/airconditioning unit 12. The impermeable sheet 14 has a first surface 16, asecond surface 18, and an edge 20 extending about the perimeter of thesheet 14. The first surface 16 is capable of being positioned adjacentto a front surface 22 of the cooler/air conditioning unit 12. Theimpermeable sheet may be formed from any well known material, such asvinyl or any other material that is capable of blocking the flow of airthrough the unit 12.

A decorative surface is either printed on the surface of the impermeablesheet 14 or comprises a decorative cloth material 24 secured to thesecond surface 18 of the impermeable sheet 14. The decorative clothmaterial 24 can be secured to the impermeable sheet 14 by any well knownmeans such as adhesive, sewing, fusing, and the like.

Means are provided for securing the edge 20 of the impermeable sheet 14about the cooler/air conditioning unit 12 to prevent the escape of hotair and the entrance of cold air through the unit 12.

The means for securing the edge 20 of the sheet can comprise a varietyof well known securing means. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, thissecuring means can comprises an elastic member 26 attached to and/orsewn within at least a portion of the edge of the impermeable sheet 14.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, this securing means can comprises adrawstring member 28 extending through at least a portion of the edge 20of the impermeable sheet 14. Yet another means for securing the cover 10over the front surface of the cooler/air conditioning unit 12, as shownin FIG. 4, can comprise one of an adhesive material, a series of hookand loop fasteners, and/or a series of clips 29 attachable onto at leasta portion of the edge 20 of the impermeable sheet 14.

The cover 10 of the invention can also include adjusting means foradjusting the predetermined size and shape of the impermeable sheet 14to fit the cooler/air conditioning unit 12. This adjusting means 30 cancomprises one of a drawstring, hook and loop strap members, or any otherwell known means for adjusting the size of the cover 10 to fit about thecooler/air conditioning unit 12.

As shown in the Figures, the decorative surface 24 of the cover 10 cancomprise a variety of themes such as a sports theme, a character theme,a nature theme, a holiday theme, and/or a theme complimentary to thedecor of such home, such as shown in FIG. 5. Due to the low cost of thiscover 10 and the ease of replacement onto the unit 12, a variety ofcovers can be purchased and used throughout the cold weather season tofit any desired decorative theme.

The present invention is also directed to a method for covering acooler/air conditioning unit 12 with a cover, generally illustrated as10, for preventing heat loss and blocking cold air from entering a home.The method comprises the steps of providing an impermeable sheet 14having a predetermined size and shape capable of covering the cooler/airconditioning unit 12. The impermeable sheet has a first surface 16, asecond surface 18 and an edge 20 extending about the perimeter of thesheet 14. The first surface 16 is capable of being positioned adjacentto a front surface 22 of the cooler/air conditioning unit 12. The nextstep of the invention comprises providing a decorative surface eitherprinted on the second surface 18 of the impermeable sheet 14 orproviding a decorative cloth material 24 secured to the second surfaceof the impermeable sheet 14. As stated above, this cloth material 24 canbe secured to the impermeable sheet 14 by any well known method.

The method further comprises placing the first surface 16 of theimpermeable sheet adjacent to the front surface 22 of the cooler/airconditioning unit 12 and securing the edge 20 of the impermeable sheetabout the cooler/air conditioning unit 12 to prevent the escape of hotair and the entrance of cold air through the unit 12.

The invention has been described in such full, clear, concise, and exactterms so as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use the same. It should be understood that variations,modifications, equivalents and substitutions for components of thespecifically described embodiments of the invention may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims. Persons who possess suchskill will also recognize that the foregoing description is merelyillustrative and not intended to limit any of the ensuing claims to anyparticular narrow interpretation.

1. A cover for covering a cooler/air conditioning unit for preventingheat loss and blocking cold air from entering a home, said covercomprising: (a) an impermeable sheet having a predetermined size andshape capable of covering such cooler/air conditioning unit, saidimpermeable sheet having a first surface, a second surface and an edgeextending about the perimeter of said sheet, said first surface capableof being positioned adjacent to a front surface of such cooler/airconditioning unit; (b) a decorative surface one of printed on saidsecond surface of said impermeable sheet and secured to said secondsurface of said impermeable sheet; and (c) means for securing said edgeof said impermeable sheet about such cooler/air conditioning unit toprevent the escape of hot air and the entrance of cold air through suchunit.
 2. A cover as recited in claim 1 wherein said impermeable sheet isformed from a vinyl material.
 3. A cover as recited in claim 1 whereinsaid decorative surface is formed from a decorative cloth materialsecured to said second surface of said impermeable sheet.
 4. A cover asrecited in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said edge comprisesan elastic member attached to at least a portion of said edge of saidimpermeable sheet.
 5. A cover as recited in claim 1 wherein said meansfor securing said edge comprises a drawstring member extending throughat least a portion of said edge of said impermeable sheet.
 6. A cover asrecited in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said edge comprisesone of an adhesive material, a series of hook and loop fasteners, and aseries of clips attachable onto at least a portion of said edge of saidimpermeable sheet.
 7. A cover as recited in claim 1 wherein saiddecorative surface comprises one of a sports theme, a character theme, anature theme, a holiday theme, and a theme complimentary to the decor ofsuch home.
 8. A cover as recited in claim 1 including adjusting meansfor adjusting said predetermined size and shape of said impermeablesheet to fit such cooler/air conditioning unit.
 9. A cover as recited inclaim 8 wherein said adjusting means comprises one of a drawstring andhook and loop strap members.
 10. A method for covering a cooler/airconditioning unit for preventing heat loss and blocking cold air fromentering a home, said method comprising: (a) providing an impermeablesheet having a predetermined size and shape capable of covering suchcooler/air conditioning unit, said impermeable sheet having a firstsurface, a second surface and an edge extending about the perimeter ofsaid sheet, said first surface capable of being positioned adjacent to afront surface of such cooler/air conditioning unit; (b) providing adecorative surface one of printed on said second surface of saidimpermeable sheet and secured to said second surface of said impermeablesheet; (c) placing said first side of said impermeable sheet adjacent tosuch front surface of such cooler/air conditioning unit; and (d)securing said edge of said impermeable sheet about such cooler/airconditioning unit to prevent the escape of hot air and the entrance ofcold air through such unit.
 11. A method as recited in claim 10 whereinthe step of providing said impermeable sheet comprises forming saidimpermeable sheet from a vinyl material.
 12. A method as recited inclaim 10 wherein said step of providing a decorative surface on saidsecond surface of said impermeable sheet comprises securing a decorativecloth material to said second surface of said impermeable sheet.
 13. Amethod as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of securing said edgecomprises attaching an elastic member to at least a portion of said edgeof said impermeable sheet.
 14. A method as recited in claim 10 whereinsaid step of securing said edge comprises providing a drawstring membersuch that it extends through at least a portion of said edge of saidimpermeable sheet.
 15. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said stepfor securing said edge comprises providing one of an adhesive material,a series of hook and loop fasteners, and a series of clips attachableonto at least a portion of said edge of said impermeable sheet.
 16. Amethod as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of providing adecorative surface comprises providing a surface surrounding one of asports theme, a character theme, a nature theme, a holiday theme, and atheme complimentary to the decor of such home.
 17. A method as recitedin claim 10 including the step of providing an adjusting means foradjusting said predetermined size and shape of said impermeable sheet tofit such cooler/air conditioning unit.
 18. A method as recited in claim17 wherein said adjusting means comprises one of a drawstring and hookand loop strap members.